Songs to Listen to During Golden Week [Drive BGM and Relaxing Day-Off Tunes]
Golden Week, the long holiday from late April to early May.
Many of you probably look forward to it every year, right? It’s a precious time to refresh yourself—going on trips or taking a drive a little farther than usual.
However, going out means travel time, and during the holidays the roads get terribly congested…
So in this article, we’re introducing songs perfect for Golden Week to accompany your drive.
They work great as BGM while you’re on the move, and there are also tracks that let you fully soak in the holiday mood, so be sure to check them out!
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Songs to Listen to During Golden Week [Driving BGM and Relaxing Day-Off Tunes] (41–50)
weeeekNEWS
This song captures the joys and struggles of a week of work or school through an exhilarating rock sound.
It empathizes with the down-to-earth feelings of working adults and students, portraying their efforts from Monday to Friday with heartwarming lyrics.
Written by GReeeeN, the track was released in November 2007 as NEWS’s seventh single and was featured in commercials for the youth clothing brand Crymson / RUSS-K.
Play it during your commute, on the way to school, or while driving, and it’s sure to lift your spirits and fill you with positivity.
Songs to Listen to During Golden Week [Drive BGM and Relaxation Tunes] (51–60)
BBQ tonightPAN
PAN is a rock band formed in Osaka in 1995.
Their magical phrase that gets everyone totally hyped is “Tonight is BBQ.” It’s the perfect situation that makes you feel like you can get through any job or school event, and this song playfully sings that phrase to a melodic hardcore rhythm.
It’s a guaranteed crowd-pleaser that will light up any festival.
For example, on your way to the BBQ spot, just put this track on and your excitement will go totally off the charts!
holidaySHISHAMO
While the spring “Golden Week” consists of a string of weekends and national holidays, in recent years the late-September stretch of consecutive weekends and holidays has come to be called “Silver Week.” Either way, they’re great breaks for students and office workers.
Speaking of holidays, this song “Kyūjitsu” (Holiday) comes to mind.
Its lyrics—about “spending a long, solitary holiday while reminiscing about a romance that has ended”—are a bit lonely yet somehow comical.
It’s a recommended track for anyone who wants to take it easy over Golden Week.
By the way, when the band SHISHAMO first started, they used the kanji spelling 柳葉魚 for their name—still pronounced "Shishamo."
SHAKESMAP
It was released in 1996 as SMAP’s 23rd single.
The song was used as the theme for Fuji TV’s “SMAP×SMAP” and reached No.
1 on the Oricon Weekly Singles Chart.
They performed this song at the 47th NHK Kouhaku Uta Gassen, marking their sixth consecutive appearance.
It’s a song that puts you in a good mood.
I love you, love you, love you so muchchay
Released in 2015 as chay’s seventh single.
The song portrays a girl’s feelings on the night before her first trip with her boyfriend, capturing in a very realistic way her nerves about showing her bare face for the first time, choosing outfits, and wanting to look cute for him.
It’s a perfect song for a girl going on her first trip with her boyfriend during Golden Week.
Shinymiwa
It was released in 2017 as miwa’s 22nd single.
The song was used in Japan Coca-Cola’s 2017 commercial for Sokenbicha, and miwa’s clear, refreshing vocals and sound are soothing to the heart.
With a feel of fresh wind and light, it’s a track that makes you want to listen to it outside on a nice, sunny day.
Drive Songmiwa
Here’s the perfect one-and-only driving song from the eternal guitar girl, miwa: “Drive Song.” With lines like “I’ve put together songs I want you to listen to while driving” and “You look way too wonderful behind the wheel,” there are so many swoon-worthy moments in the lyrics—it’s honestly heart-fluttering! You can’t help but fall for the girl in the song after just one listen, right? During Golden Week there are lots of cars out and occasional traffic jams, but if this track is playing in the car, you’ll be totally fine! It’s especially recommended for those heading toward Odaiba and crossing the Rainbow Bridge!